Cement retainer



. March 5, 1935. R. c. BAKER ET AL CEMENT RETAINER File d June 7, 193:5 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 v m & 0K0 Y TA E 8 N E R wa m N A 5 R 5 a March 5, 1935. c. BAKER El AL.

CEMENT RETAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 7, 1953 INVENTORS REUBEN 0. BAKER. CLARENCE E. 8027:

ATTORN March 5, 1935. R. c. BAKER AL CEMENT RETAINER Filed June '7, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS REUBEN c. B49K2 CLARENCE leg/BURT. EWJ-g ATTORNEYS.

March 5, 1935.

R. c. BAKER El AL CEMENT RETAINER v Filed Jun 7, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 iatenteci 5, 1935 PATENT orrics' cmunnr newsman ll'teuben c. alm, Coalinga, and Clarence a. Burt,

' hos Anselm, Calm,

assigns to Baker (iii;

Tools, Ens... Huntington Paris, (Jalii't a cor-perm tion oi @alii'ornia Applicafion June 7, 19933, Serial No. steers 5 illaims.

This invention relates to appliances utilized in packing on, cementing and repressuring operations in deep oil wells. 1

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved tool for practicing the tubing method of cementing, which tool may be safely and properly run in and set at any dc sired point in the casing of a deep well and utilized to cement off a water formation at a predetermined level or form a cement seal and reenforcement between the casing and the bore throughout the entire length oi the casing. The tool is also capable of efiicient use in packing 03 the casing at any particular point for such purposes as packing ofl high pressure gas sands below the oil strata. Further the tool is capable of" use in repressuring the oil sands to increase the productivity of adjacent wells tapping the same.'

In general, the device consists of a valved hollow packer which is run in the hole at the lower end of a string of tubing. The packer is fitted with operative slips'for firmly anchoring it to the surrounding casing and with an expansible pack ing or sealing element for sealing oi! the space between the ,exterior of the barrel and the inner casing wall. The slips or anchoring means and the packing element may be operated by manipulating the running-in tubing at the derrick floor. in cementing operations, the tubing method is practiced; that is, the cement slurry is pumped downwardly through the running-in tubing and the packer or barrel into the space below the barrel and back ,up around the casing to form a reeniorciug seal. The tool is designed to permit prompt washing of the tubing and removal thereof during the time the discharged cement is setting, the latter being prevented from returning into the packer and easing above the same by the back pressure valve in the packer. As thepacker can be set at any predetermined point in the casing after the latter is in place, the tool is capable of use in shutting on! water at any p t therealong. Of course, the casing must be periorated (either before or after running-in and setting the packer) below the point the packer is set in the casing. By setting the packer at the lower end of the casing and slightly elevating the latter oiff bottom, the space between the casing and bore may be sealed throughout the entire length thereof or for a predetermined distance above bottom by properly calculating the amount of slurry to be pumped into such space. If the casing is on bottom and frozen, it may be perforated just above bottom and thepacker set just above the perforations so thatthe slurry will discharge into the space between the casing and the bore.

The device may be used purely as a packer to seal an the interior of the casing at any predetermined point above bottom. In this case the producing sends to be quickly and effectively shut oil.

In repressuring adjacent wells tapping the same oil sends, the tcclis run in and set just above the screen or perforated section of the oil string. Gas under high pressure is then forced downwardly through the tubing and barrel and through the perforated casing into the sands. This repressuring aids in materially increasing the productivity of neighboring wells. 7

The invention is exemplified in the following description and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section throughwe. well bore and the well casing therein showing our improved tool in position in the casing.

' Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in central section through the circulating jar.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the circulating jar taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective illustrating a portion of the tube to-' gether with the trip swivel with some of the parts in vertical section to more clearly illustratecertain ieatures of construction.

big. 6 is a transverse sectional view through the tube and bowed springs taken on line VI-VI of Fig. 5. k

Fig. 'i is a transverse sectional view through the trip swivel taken on line VII-VII of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view in perspective and in section of the iemale portion of the trip swivel.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged central vertical sectional view through the packer portion of the tool.

Fig. 10 is a view in longitudinal section through a I well bore and well casing showing our improved tool positioned therein with the slips in engagement with the casing.

Fig-11 is a similar view with the packing sleeve expanded to form a seal between the packer and the casing.

Fig. 12 is a similar view with the tube and trip mechanism disconnected from the packer after the cementing operation and being withmanner in which our improved tool is employed to repressure depleted oil sands.

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatical view showing the use of our device in shutting of! high pressure gas appearing below the oil sands.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, 10 indicates a barrel or packer which is cylindrical in cross section and of an external diameter just slightly less than the internal diameter of the well easing into which it is to harm and set. The packer or barrel includes a hollow cylindrical body 11, the lower end of which is formed with a concentric main circulating port 12 surrounded by a valve seat 14.

Cooperating with this seat to prevent the flow oi.

fiuid into the body from below the same is a downwardly opening check or back pressure valve 15. This valve is fitted with a valve stem 16 which extends upwardly into the body 11 and reciprocably mounted in a guide 17 formed centrally of a spider 18 formed integrally with or secured within the body 11. A spring 19 is ar'- ranged between the guide 17 and a nut on the upper end of the valve stem 16, which spring normally maintains the valve 15 seated on the seat 14 closing the main circulating port 12.

The interior of the body 11 is reduced in diameter at a point a spaced distance below its upper end and this reduced portion is formed with a female square thread which is lett hand and into which is threaded the lower end 01 a tube 20. This tube 20 extends upwardly so that it may be connected as will be described to running-in tubing.

Arranged on the exterior of the body intermediate the ends thereot, is a'cylindrical packer sleeve 21 which is formed or rubber or other pliable material. This sleeve 21 is loosely arranged on the body so that it will expand diametrically when it is axially compressed. C 4

The lower end or the packer or sealing sleeve -21 is anchored to a collar 22 mounted on the body 11 at the lower end thereof. A hollow guide 23 is secured to this collar and projects below the lower end of the body to guide the same past casing joints or like obstructionsduring the secured on the tube 20. This collar 28 abuts against the upper end of the slip guide 27 as illustrated.

It will be noticed that at the upper extremity of the body 11 the same is formed with a frustoconical bore with which the lower end of the slip guide 27 is complemental. At the upper end ,of the slip guide it is bored to slidably fit the external diameter of the tube 20. From the lower end of this bore which fits the tube 20 through the lower end oi the guide, the bore of the same is enlarged to accommodate a fixed collar 28a 11 at the upper end thereof. The major portion of the outer periphery of the slip cone 24 is frusto-conical with the smaller diameter thereof uppermost.

The inner periphery of the slip coneis formed with an annular'ring groove 25 within. which is mounted a split latch ring 26. This ring 26 is suitably secured to the-tube 20 so that when the latter israised relative to the slip guide 27, the

above its conical portion to fit the interior di-,

ameter of the slip cone 24. Above this cylindrical portion, however, the outer periphery of the slip guide is irusto-conical, being of the same taper. as the slip cone 24 so that when the parts are assembled for running in the hole, the outer surface of the slip guide 27 forms a continuation of the conical surface of the slip cone 24.

i'Arranged about the'conical periphery of the slip guide 27 are three segmental slips 29, the outer surfaces of which are iforrned with serrations or wickers as illustrated.

Attached at their lower ends to the slips 29 are three arms or straps '30 which extend upwardly and which are connected at their upper ends to the male portion of a trip swivel 31. The lower ends 0! the straps 30 are connected to the slips 29 by means of shear pins 32. 'It is desired to point out that when the packer or barrel is secured in position in a casing by means of engagement of the slips with the casing and a pull is exerted on the straps 30, that the pins 32 will be sheared so as to disconnect the straps 30 from the slips.

The trip swivel 31 also includes a female portion 33, both the female and male portions of the swivel being revolubly' mounted on the tube 20. The male portion 33a of the trip swivel 31 is provided with an annular portion 34' to the outer periphery of which the upper ends of .the straps 30 are suitably connected. Above this annular portion 34, the male portion 33a of the trip swivel is formed with an upwardly extending cylindrical portion 35, the upper end of which cylindrical portion is enlarged so as to form an annular groove 36.

The female portion 33 of the trip swivel 31 is cup-shaped to receive the cylindrical extension 35 of themale portion 33a of the swivel 31. A latch bolt 37 extends through the side wall of the female portion of the trip swivel 31 and projects within the groove 36 so as to prevent relative axial movement between the two portions of the swivel but to permit relative rotation therebe-. tween.

It will be noticed that the upper end of thecylindrical extension 35 of the male portion of the swivel extends short of the upper end of the socket of'the femaleportion 33 of the swivel 31. In this space is a trip pin 38 which is fixed to the tube and which projects radially outward therefrom. .At theupper .end ofv the socket in the female portion of the swivel 31 is a radial recess 39, through which the trip pin 38 may pass when the same is placed in register therewith; At one side of this socket is a dependinglug 40'which acts as a stop for the pin 38 when the latter comes in register with the recess.

It is obvious that when the tube '20 is rotated relative to the female portion 33 or the trip swivel 31 and the pin 38 is thereby placed in register with the recess, that the tube 20 may be moved axially upwardlyrelative to the trip swivel but when the pin 38 is not in register with the recess, that there can be no relative axial movement between the tube 20 and the trip swivel 31.

It is desired to point out here as will be more clearly explained later on, that when the tube 20 is. moved axially upward relative to the trip swivel 31 that this movement is accompanied by movement or the slips radially outward into engagement with the casing wall so as to set the barrel or packer in position in, the casing and then expand the packing sleeve into firm contact with the interior wall of the casing to form a seal between the packer and the casing.

In order that the tube 20 may be moved axially upward with respect to the trip swivel 31, it is necessary that the latter be held in a stationary position within the casing. To accomplish this we have provided trip springs 42. These springs are arranged at spaced distances apart about the tube 29 and are connected at their lower ends to the female portion of the trip swivel 31. The

upper ends of the springs 42 are secured to a collar 43 loosely arranged on the tube 20. The springs are outwardly bowed in order that they will frictionally engage the inner periphery of the casing and hold the trip swivel and the slips 29 stationary during the period of setting the slips as will be described.

At the upper end of the tube 20 is a circulating jar 45which includes a valve housing 46 fixed to the upper end of the tube 20. Reciprocably mounted in this housing 48 is a valve member 47 having a tubular shank 48, the upper end of which projects through the upper end of the housing 46 and is adapted to be connected with the running in tubing or drill stem 49 to Iorm a connectionbetween the drill stem and the tool.

It will be noticed that at its upper end the bore of the housing 46 is reduced in diameter so as to slidably receive the tubular shank 48 of the valve.4'l. Between this reduced bore ofthe housing and its interior chamberis affrustoconical valve seat 50 with which thevalve 47 is adapted to cooperate. It will be noticed that the tubular shank 48 is formed, with a plurality of longitudinal splines 51 secured on the outer periphery thereof at diametrically opposed points thereon. It will also be noticed that the reduced bore of the housing 46 within which the shank 48 is guided is provided with a plurality oi longitudinal grooves 52 through which the splines 51 project. The grooves 52 are considerably larger in cross sectional area than thesplines 53. inorder to provide fluid discharge passageways through which fluid may discharge from the. interior or? the housing '46 when the valve 47 is unseated.

it wiil be noticed from the drawings that the valve 4'? is provided with a plurality of radial ports 4741 through which fluid may discharge from the interior oi the shank 48 into the interior oi the housing 46 and thence through the vertical grooves 52. a L

It is desired to point 0111, that the circulating jar 45 is in effect a valve mechanism interposed intermediate the packer and the running in tubing which enables fluidto be pumped downwardly through the tubing and thence out into the well casing above the packer through the v circulating Jar without the necessity of passing through the packer proper.

To open the circulating jar or valve mechanism 45, it is only necessary to lower the running in tubing slightly relative to the packer and its tube 20 so as to unseat the valve 47. Circulation may then be established downwardly through the tubing and outwardly through the circulating jaw 45.

In operation of the device, the tool is made up on the lower end of the running in tubing or the drill stem as illustrated in Fig. i,v and it is then lowered into the hole. In this position it will be noticed that the slips 29 and the packer sleeve 21 will be contracted so that there will be clearance between the inside of the casing within which the tool is run and the packer. The bowed springs 42, however, will irictionally en gage the inner wall of the casing but this friction,- of course, will be overcome by the weight of the packer in its downward movement sc that it will pass freely down the casing.

When the packer has reached the desired point in the casing, the running in tubing is turned to the right. Thisrevolves the tube 20 to the right due to the non-rotating connection between the running-in tubing 49 and the tube 20. This movement of the tube 20 will place the trip pin 38 in register with the trip recess 39 in the female portion of the trip swivel.

It is obvious from Figs. 5 and 7 that the trip pin may be readily placed'in register with the recess 39 due to the provision of the stop member 49.

The relative rotary movement between the tube 20 and the swivel 33 may be accomplished due to the fact that the swivel will be held stationary due to the frictional engagement of the springs 42 with the casing.

When the trip pin 38 is in register with the recess 39, the device is ready for tripping. The running-in tubing 49 isthen elevated which will to the trip swivel 33 which will continue to remain in a fixed position in the casing due to the frictional engagement of the springs 42 with the casing. This upward movement of the tubing relative to the trip swivel 33 is permitted due to the fact that the trip pin 38 may pass upwardly through the recess 39 in the female portion of the trip swivel 33.

As the tube 20 is threadedly connected to the cylindrical body 11, the latter will likewise be moved upwardly in conjunction with the tube 20. The slips 29, however, will remain stationary relative to the upward movement of the body 11 due to their connection with the lower ends of the "upwardly extending arms 30, which are connected at their upper ends to the tripswivel 33. As the body 11 moves upwardly, the slip guide 2'7 will move simultaneously therewith. The conical outer surface of this guide 27 will move the slips radially outward into engagement with the wall of the casing. Continued upwardmovement or the tube 20 and the body 11 will cause cause upward movement of the tube 20 relative the conical outer surface of the slip cone 24 to can no longer expand radially and continued upward movement of the body 11 will not be accompanied by upward movement of the slip cone 24. However, the collar 22 at the lower end of the body 11 will continue to move upwardly.

As the upper end of the packing sleeve 21 will remain stationary due to its being anchored to the slip cone 24, continued upward movement of the collar 22 together with the body'll will cause axial compression of the pliable packer sleeve 21, consequently expanding the same into firm engagement with the inner wall of the casing below the slips to form a fluid-tight seal between the inner periphery of the casing and the packer. At this time further upwardmovement of the tube 20 and the running-in tubing is discontinued and the packer will remain in a fixed position due to the engagement of the slips 29 with the casing. Likewise, the packing sleeve will remain expanded due to the latching engagement between the latch ring 26 and the annular serrations or wickers 26a. The device is then ready for a cementing operation.

After a test of the water 'tightnessof the seal between the exterior of the packer and the interior wall of the casing has been made, direct circulation through the packer may be broken.

During this period, of course, the valve 47 is maintained seated so that the circulating fluid will pass downwardly through the circulation jar 45, the tube 20, thence through the hollow body 11, opening the back pressure valve and discharging through the port 12. The circulating fluid will then discharge up around the exterior of the casing so as to break circulation.

After circulation has been broken, the cement slurry is pumped into the running-in tubing 49 and if it is desired not to force the remaining fluid in the tubing 49 downwardly through the packer, the running-in tubing may be lowered relative to the tool to unseat the valve 47, forcing the remaining circulating fluid in the tubing outwardly through the circulating jar into the casing. The valve 47 may then be seated so that the cement being discharged downwardly through the tubing 49 will pass through the packer, opening the back pressure valve 15 and discharging through the lower end of the packer.

If desired, the casing may be maintained a short distance off bottom so that the cement discharging through the lower end of the packer will pass outwardly through the lower end-of the casing and upwardly around the casing. However, if the casing is on bottom, it will be necessary to perforate the same at a point below the position of the packer so that the cement may discharge through the perforations to that space intermediate the well casing and the wall of the hole. It is obvious, of course, that these perforations are made prior to the setting of the packer. It is also manifest that these perforations may be formed at any point in the hole, for example, for the shutting off of intermediate water. The packer when set is positioned just above the perforations so that the cement will discharge therethrough. v v

After the cementing operation is complete and it is desired to clean out the tubing 49, the tubing 49 is lowered relative to the tube 20, which remains stationary, to unseat the valve 47. Circulating fluid isthen pumped into the upper end of the tubing 49 and as it passes downwardly through the tubing, it will wash out the cement therein and the fluid and the cement will discharge outwardlythrough the circulating jar 45 into the casing and may be circulated upwardly therethrough to the surface.

It is desired to point out that the provision of the circulating jar is of considerable importance, because after all the cement that the formation will take has been pumped through the packer, the circulation jar may be put into operation to enable cleaning out of the surplus cement from the tubing 49 and circulate the surplus cement out of the hole back up through the casing. On-some cementing jobs very little fluid can be forced into the formation but if it is all cement, it is usually sufficient to obtain a thorough water shut off. Under such circumstances after discharging all the cement into the formation which it can receive, the circulating jar can be opened by lowering the running-in tubing 49 and the cement remaining in the tubing can be circulated out upwardly through the casing.

It is thus obvious that the provision of the circulating jar enables the discharging of the circulating fluid from the running-in tubing 49 when the pumping of the cement slurry is com-' menced as well as providing a means for breaking circulation and washing out all cement slurry from the tubing and the inside of the casing above the retainer in the event that circulation should stop and cannot be started with the pumps or in case the formation cannot take as much cement as calculated and cement slurry must be washed throughout the full length of the running-in tubing .49.

The moment the pump pressure is released in the tube 20, the back pressure of the discharged cement will force the valve 15 to seat on its seat 12 preventing the back flow of the cement into the casing through the packer. The packer is sufliciently securely fastened in the casing and the seal between the packer sleeve and the interior wall of the casing is sufficient to prevent dislodgment of the packer by the pressure of the discharged cement.

Assuming that the cement has been properly discharged into the formation and that the tubing in the casing has been washed out as previously described, the running-in tubing together with the tube may then be removed from the hole,. leaving the packer in its set position as illustrated in Fig. 13. This is accomplished by rotating the running-in tubing 49 approximately ten turns to the right or a sufficient amount to unthread the threaded connection between the lower end of the tube 20 and the body 11.

After the t readed connection between the tube 20 and'the b dy 11 is broken, upward movement of the tube 20 will engage the collar 28 with the lower end of the trip swivel 33 and likewise engage the collar 28a with the internal shoulder within the upper end of the slip guide 2'7 so that upward movement of the tube 20 will be accompanied by upward movement of both the slip guide 2'7 and the swivel 33. The upward movement of the trip swivel 33 will, of course, tend to move the arms or straps 30 upwardly and as the slips will remain fixed, the pins 32 will be sheared, disconnecting the arms or straps 30- is formed principally of cast iron and other macan terial which is readily drillable, so that it be drilled out if desired and the sinking of the hole proceeded with.

;In Figs. 14 and 15 we have diagrammatically illustrated other uses to which the present tool may be put. That illustrated in Fig. 14 is termed a repressuring operation by which depleted oil sands may be made to yield additional output of oil. This is brought about by selecting an exhausted well which taps the oil sands to be repressured. The tool is run into the casing of this hole and set in the'same manner as described in connection with the cementing operation. The

packer is positioned just above the perforated quired. In cases of this kind our improved tool enables the high pressure gas to be pumped to the bottom of the old string of casing in the strong running-in tubing 49. The packer, of course, forms a gas tight pack-off at the point it is set so as to prevent the gas frombacking upin the casing above the tool.

The method of tripping and setting the tool and the method of removing the tubing in such a use of the tool is exactly the same as that described in connection with the cementing operation.

Another use, of our presest tool is to pack oflf high pressure gas below-a producing sand, after which the casing can be perforated above the packer at the point where the casingpasses through the producing sand and an oil well brought in from this sand' In such a use the packer is run in and set and the running-in tubing removed in exactly the same manner as described in connection with the cementing operation. The method in which our tool is used to pack ofl high pressure gas appearing below the point where the casing penetrates through the oilxsands is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 15.

From the foregoing it is obvious that we have privided a very efficient tool for use in cementing and packing-oil operations and whilewe have shown the preferred form of our invention,

- it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus descr bed our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In a tool of the character described a packer comprising a cylindrical body member, a packing sleeve of pliable material surrounding the body member and secured thereto at its lower end, a slip cone engaging the upper end of the packing sleeve and having a frusto-conical outer surface, a running in tubing detachably connected to the packer, a slip supporting structure on the tubing,

a set of segmental slips connected to the supporting structure to cooperate with the slip cone whereby upward movement of said body member and the slip cone will cause said slips to move radially outwardly to engage the casing wall and to stop the movement of the cone and-to expand the sleeve and form a seal between the body member and casing wall, a connection between the running in tubing and the slip support and a shear pin connection between the slip support and the slips whereby upon detaching the tubing and shearing the pins the tubing and the slip support may be withdrawn from the well.

2. In a tool of the character described, a packer comprising a body member, an expandible packing sleeve carried by the body member, a slip cone associated with the packing sleeve, a running in tubing detachably connected to the packer, a slip supporting structure carried by the tubing, slips connected to said structure and engageable by the slip cone upon upward movement thereof to cause them to engage the casing wall and stop the cone, thereby causing expansion of the packing-sleeve, and a shear pin connection between, the slip support and the slips whereby upon detaching the tubing and shearing the pins the tubing and the slip support may be withdrawn from the well. I

3. In a tool of the character described, a packer adapted to be sealed in a well casing upon being moved upwardly against a set of slips, a running in tubing detachably secured to the packer, and

a slip supporting structure carried by the tubing and connected with said slips by shear pins, whereby upon detaching said tubing and shearing said pins the tubing and slip supporting structure may be withdrawn from the well.

a. In a tool of the character described, a packer adapted tobe lowered into a well at the end of a string of running in tubing and having means for sealing it in the well casing upon its being drawn upwardly into engagement with a set of segmental slips supported for radial movement into gripping engagement with the casing, means.

carried by the running in tubing for supporting said slips, a detachable connection between the tubing and packer, and shearable means connecting the slips with the slip supporting means,

whereby upon detaching the tubing from the packer and raising it the shearable connections will be broken and the tubing and slip supporting means may be withdrawn from the well. 3

5. In a tool of the character described, a packer comprising abody member, an expandible packing sleeve carried by the body member, a slip cone associated with the packing sleeve, a run- .ning in tubing detachably connected to the packhaving wickers formed exteriorly thereof, a latch ring carried interiorly of the slip cone for engage ment with said wickers'to maintain the packing in itseirpanded condition, and a shear pin connection between the slip support and the slips whereby upon detaching the tubing and shearing the pins the tubing and the slip support may be withdrawn from the well.

REUBENfC/BAKER. CLARENCE E. BURT. 

